Adhering a strip of a first material to one surface of a web is commonly practiced in forming tear strips for opening packages. Apparatus for performing this operation normally include means for cutting the strip from the end of a first web and transferring the strip to the surface of the second web to which it is to be adhered. Heated transfer arms have been utilized which activate a hot melt adhesive used to adhere the strip to the second web. However, it has been found that when the strip to be adhered to the web is provided with a hot melt adhesive on both sides thereof, it is not possible to use such a heated transfer arm, or even an ordinary heat sealer to tack the strip to the web because such a sealer would activate both adhesive surfaces, preventing its use later to adhere the web to a further element. In addition, the activation of the adhesive on both surfaces of the strip causes the strip to adhere to the applying member as much as to the web, thereby resulting in unreliable operation. Also, the activation of the hot melt adhesive on both sides of the strip often results in adhesive buildup on the applying member, thereby creating a cleanliness problem and undesirably high maintenance requirements.
Accordingly, the provision of a method and apparatus for applying a strip of material having an adhesive on both surfaces thereof would facilitate the fabrication of many articles wherein the adhesive-bearing strip can be attached to one surface of a first web which then carries the strip to engagement with another element of the article whereby the strip, with adhesive on both surfaces thereof, can be utilized to secure the first web to the second element of the article.